The cure for vampirism
by Jatekos3
Summary: What if your life suddenly changed? If you had to avoid the sun and change your diet? A young woman explores an ancient tomb with her friend and her sister, but when they meet vampires, she gets a rare disease. And she seems to have other secrets, that may destroy her relationship to her sister and friend...
1. Chapter 1

**The cure for vampirism**

_What if your life suddenly changed? If you had to avoid the sun and change your diet? A young woman explores an ancient tomb with her friend and her sister, but when they meet vampires, she gets a rare disease. And she seems to have other secrets, that may destroy her relationship to her sister and friend..._

**Chapter 1**

"Where are we going?" I asked.  
>"I can't tell you. You'll see when we're there," he answered.<br>"I'm not afraid of anything, remember when we met that troll in the mountains? I..."  
>He interrupted me, "I am not going to tell you, Risaan. But I guess we'll find vampires in that tomb."<p>

As he said that, he turned around and looked into my blue eyes. My neck began to itch.  
>My friend was a vampire himself. His real name is a secret for everyone. Even me. When we met at the Whiterun stables, he told me to call him Anonymus. I don't know how old he is either; he looks like a normal 30-year-old man, but he could be 300-year-old too.<p>

He never told me how old he is, or that he's a vampire. But I don't need that. His skin is as pale as the snow and he has got golden eyes. I've never seen him outdoors during the day.

Anonymus is my best friend since 10 years. He knows almost everything about me.

I scratched my neck embarrassed and said:  
>"Alright, Anonymus. Let's go. Show me the way."<br>Before Anonymus turned around, he shot one more glare at me.

It was midnight and we could see the fullmoon. It shone brightly, clothing the lake I was staring at in silver and white. It was beautiful.

Suddenly I stopped.  
>"What's wrong?"<br>"I heard something," I answered and grabbed my sword.

"Hey! Wait for me!" a familiar voice shouted. A shadow was running up to us. Anonymus jumped in front of me and yelled:  
>"Halt! Who are you?"<br>The shadow stopped. I could just barely recognize the girl's face.  
>"Nhaomei! What are you doing here?" I asked her angrily.<br>Anonymus stepped away from me saying a short "Oh". Nhaomei walked up to us and I could now clearly see her face. She raised her eyebrows and said:  
>"Risaan, you really thought I would stay in Whiterun with Fekus while you're on an adventure? He's asleep now, so there's no need to worry about him. We will be at home by the time he wakes up."<p>

When she said that I wanted to punch her. So I rather mumbled,  
>"Anonymus, this is my sister, Nhamomei. How did you find us?"<br>Nahomei raised a brow. "I'm a companion!" she said, as if that would explain. I knew she was following me.  
>"A full member?" Anonymus asked, his eyes narrowing.<br>"Yes, since a few months," Nhaomei said, smiling.  
>I glared at my sister. She glared back.<br>"I hate when you do this!" I hissed. "Seriously, you're a companion, why don't you just go out with your _own_ friends?"  
>"Oh! Not a bad idea! Next time I'm going to do that!" Nhaomei rolled her eyes while talking. "They didn't have any work for me, okay? And I'm telling you: If you send me back, I will head directly to the Inn. So, if you don't want your sister to get drunk, and ruin the family's name, then you'll let me come with you!"<p>

I sighed.  
>"Alright. Then we should go on," I said and gazed at Anonymus. He shot me a look. It was one of those moments when I could read his mind. <em>You really want to bring her with us? <em>his eyes asked. I gazed back at him. _Yes._ was my answer. I hoped it was clear for him too. He sighed, shook his head and led us.

While he was leading us further into the wild, Nhaomei grabbed my shoulder and held me back for a few moments. When I wanted to shout at her, she whispered into my ear.  
>"Your friend is really handsome. Too bad he's a vampire."<br>Then she let me go and I shot and angry glare at her.

"We are here," Anonymus said. We were standing in front of an ancient tomb, which was actually looking like a castle. Well... for me, almost every old stone building looked the same. It didn't matter if it has been burned, deserted, destroyed, or attacked by a dragon, the building - or rather what was left of it - was either a castle-like tomb, or a tomb-like castle for me.

"Well, it's not what I expected. You didn't tell us we're coming to feed your kin." Nhaomei said.  
>She stood up and narrowed her eyes.<br>Anonymus only shrugged.  
>"I didn't know Risaan had a dog at home, either."<br>My sister bit her teeth together and growled.  
>"Please don't do anything you might regret later," I said hastily, and stepped between the two.<br>After all, maybe it really wasn't a good idea to bring Nhaomei with us. It was fullmoon, and my werewolf sister was arguing with my vampire friend.

"Anonymus, I guess we'll only need a few hours to clear the tomb. Until then, I ask both of you to stop quarrelling with each other," I said, shooting a lot of glares at Nhaomei. I didn't want the two to kill each other. And I could avoid that if I calmed the hot-headed one first.  
>"Fine!" Nhaomei growled. Anonymus nodded, though I could see that he didn't want to spend any more time with my sister.<p>

"Nhaomei, have got your mace with you?" I asked. Nhaomei grabbed her weapon, but then she opened her mouth to say something.  
>"No, you can't use your werewolf powers, it's far too dangerous," I said before she could ask. My sister was about to protest when Anonymus impatiently asked,<br>"Can we go now?"

Nhaomei sighed, then narrowed her eyes. She sniffed the air.  
>"There is a vampire guarding in front of the entrace," she said.<br>Anonymus and I nodded and I readied my bow. Anonymus was a mage, so he readied his staff. My sister gave her mace a few swings, because she didn't use it since she was a werewolf.

We sneaked to the entrace. The vampire was sitting on a chair next to the gate. I grabbed an arrow, aimed at the vampire lady's throat. Before she could warn the other ones in the tomb, she was dead. We stalked further into the tomb.

We entered the first room. We didn't see anyone, but there were two more doors and we heard a voice say:  
>"Is someone there?"<br>I heard a quiet growl and the sound of a magic spell. The door in front of us opened and two women stepped out, a vampire and a zombie. The zombie swinged her axe at me, but I was able to roll to the side.

I had to be very fast. I grabbed three arrows, and shot all of them at the same time. I didn't aim good, and the zombie was still attacking me. She wanted to cut me in two pieces, and I was unable to dodge with my bow.

Then suddenly Anonymus grabbed the undead girl from backwards, pulling her away from me. Her axe hit the ground making a squeaking sound. Anonymus grabbed the zombie at her shoulders, her weapon flew away. Then he lifted her up and threw her against the wall.

It made a loud crack, and I saw a big hole. The zombie fell down without any life in her. Anonymus looked at me for a heartbeat, then he shot a lightning at the vampire who was attacking Nhaomei.

The vampire lady fell down, and Nhaomei moaned disappointed.  
>"I was just about to kill the bitch!" she shouted.<br>"We don't have time to argue! We have to get away from here as fast as we can!" I screamed.

I grabbed Nhaomei's shoulder and pulled her hard, just in time. A huge rock fell onto the place where she was standing a heartbeat ago. All three of us recognized fast what was happening.

The tomb's ceiling will fall on us if we didn't leave immediately. Nhaomei and I ran fast to the next room, Anonymus behind us. We could just barely jump into the next destination.

The rocks almost hit us. My heart was pounding faster than ever. Anonymus stood up first and he helped me up.  
>"Are you hurt?" he asked, and he looked strangely deep into my eyes.<br>"Um... I'm alright. I guess... Thanks for your help," I said, feeling totally embarassed.

"Hey! Help me! I'm hurt!" Nhamoei hissed, her voice full of pain.  
>I stepped away from Anonymus and investigated my sister. Her leg was badly wounded. I wanted to grab my satchel as I realized that I didn't have it.<br>"Oh no! I haven't got any potions!" I said, panic blinding my mind.  
>"We don't need potions to help her. You can help her too," Anonymus said.<p>

I hesitated but I lay my hands onto my sister's wound. I looked at Anonymus for a moment. Then he lay his hands onto mine.  
>"You can do it," he said.<br>I nodded and began to heal my sister's wound with my spell. We sat there silnetly for a minute, or two, then Nhaomei moaned.  
>"It's gone. The pain is gone," she said, and I pulled my hands back. My shoulders relaxed when I saw that the wound was fully gone. Anonymus rested his hand on my shoulder and whispered into my ear.<br>"Told you," he said triumphantly.  
>I could only smile embarrassed in front of myself and feel blood rush to my cheek.<br>"Thanks, sis," Nhaomei said, and stood up. She looked around, and then added,  
>"You look real cute together, but I think we're trapped. Aaaand I think my mace is under the rocks..."<p>

Anonymus and I stood up, still embarrassed. I looked around to investigate the new room. I pointed with my hand at a thin tunnel with stairs.  
>"Maybe there is another exit," I said hopefully.<br>"Maybe. But without my mace I'll be defenseless. Can I..." Nhaomei looked at me questioning.  
>"No. I have a weapon for you," I said firmly and grabbed two of my swords. I held both in front of Nhaomei and said,<br>"Choose. This one in my right hand is a greatsword. I think it's a bit slow, but strong. The other one is Fierce."  
>"Haven't you got another weapon?" she asked cheekily.<br>When I glared at her she chose Fierce.  
>"Sword of the Inferno?" she asked, examining the beautiful details of the weapon. She's fascinated by it, I thought.<br>"Yeah. Try not to loose it, OK?"  
>"Hmm, 'kay."<p>

I pointed at the thin tunnel again.  
>"We should go now."<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**The cure for vampirism**

**Chapter 2**

Before we continued to explore the place, Nhaomei sniffed the air. She made a mouth.  
>"Undead. They're next door. Almost a dozen of them," she said.<br>"Draugr?" I asked.  
>"Skeletons. Not a big challenge." Nhaomei shrugged.<p>

Twenty stairs divided us from an iron door, which was decorated with ancient punctation marks and scuffed andornments. Anonymus readied his staff, the glow of his body showed his cloak. I grabbed Curvy, my sword. Curvy was the 'official' name of my Sowrd of Lightning Bolts. And due to its effectiveness some bandits already tried to take it from me. Little did they know of my heritage, that's for sure. My attackers were dead in no time.

I snapped back to reality when my younger sister climbed the stairs. I followed her as fast as I could, Anonymus coming as the last one again. When we reached the door, Nhaomei looked at me, waiting for my signal. From the distance I could already hear the sound of bones grinding to each other. That was a sound only skeletons couls make: no flesh, no blood, no joints, no tendons, no cartilages; only bones were left of the former humans. I shivered at thought that maybe someday I would be one of these horrible creatures.

Forcing these thoughts away, I gave a small nod and my sister opened the door. With a loud _**BANG**_! All enemies appeared in no time, and I could barely crouch down to avoid a swing. Rolling on the ground, I managed to parry another attack. Fast as a snake, my hand lunged forward and I got the skeleton's shin bone. With a forceful pull I broke it. After the enemy lost his balance, I snicked Curvy across his chest and the skeleton's eyes turned dark. And they will stay dark for eternity.

Without thinking I jumped backwards, just before an arrow hit the wall. Another skeleton batted his axe at me, while the one with the bow readied a new arrow. I slashed wildly at the axe-wielder, cutting him, then went head over heels, standing up to face the skeleton with the bow. Immediately I grasped his bow, while kicking his pelvic. I scored a hit and the skeleton fell in pieces to the ground.

As I looked around, I noticed the rest of undead also lay in portions on the floor. Thankfully neither Nhaomei nor Anonymus was wounded. To my biggest surprise my lungs weren't screaming for air. That was a good sign.

Nobody said a thing. I hoped we hadn't been too loud, because on the right side of this long tetragonal room was a gangway. I signed with my chin towards it, and Nhaomei checked the air. She then placed two forefingers at her mouth and imitated vampire fangs. After that she showed two fingers. That meant two vampires were in the next room.

I put Curvy back to his sheath and grabbed my bow. We sneaked slowly and silently towards the gangway. I dared to peek inside, estimating the surroundings.

The room was an oval. A gigantic oval. The ceiling was high above me.  
>If I had to divide it, I would split it into three floors. Because there were three heights.<p>

I decided to check the third floor first. As I looked up, I noticed the first vampire. It was a male with dark hair. He was on the left side of this room, leaning against a banister. He was in fornt of a closed door. It had the same shape and colour as the one that divided us from the skeletons.

One vampire on the third floor, one vampire missing. My gaze followed the trail from the third floor to the second.  
>The second floor was rather a stage, than a real floor. It curved from the left side to the right, embracing the first floor. The stage started on the right side. My heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I noticed the second vampire standing with his back to me. No, it wasn't <em>his<em> back, it was _her_ back. The vampire's hair was braided. Definetely a woman.

The first floor was a little clearing, gras grew beneath the chest that was in the left ankle. Two chairs were on the sides of the chest, and a wardrobe was behind it. I really hoped the vampire lady didn't notice me.

I turned back to my companions. Puting a finger in front of my lips, I indicated them to follow me to the door where we came in. Even when we were there, I was whispering.  
>"There's a female vampire standing in the door, and a male is up. He could reach the ceiling by raising his hands. The room is gigantic. Nhaomei," I looked at my sister, "you will handle the female in the door, as you're the only one who couldn't reach the male from below. Anonymus and I will get him."<p>

They both nodded. We sneaked back to the gangway. My plan worked: While the female was screeching as Nhaomei stabbed her in the belly, Anonymus let a fireball hit the male, and I shot an arrow at the same enemy. In less than a minute both 'suckers' were dead.

After that, I skipped to the chest. Nhaomei appeared a half heartbeat later. Anonymus sat down on a chair.  
>"C'mon, open it!" Nhaomei said impatiently. I gazed at the lock. I immediately noticed the string that was binded to it. My eyes widened when Nhaomei regardlessly opened the chest. With a squeak I jumped at her and pushed her just in time out of the giant mace's way, which was now towering out of the wooden chest.<p>

My sister hissed under me, but I didn't let go. I grabbed her shoulders and pressed her to the ground.  
>"Idiot! You could've killed us! Did you really forget everything that was taught you about caution?!" I hissed at her, barely managing to keep my voice low. Nhaomei growled at. When I saw her buckteeth I simply slapped her.<br>I had never hit her before. Neither by training, nor accidentally, nor as punishment. _Never._  
>Her eyes went round like the moon a second after I touched her. I glared at her for several seconds, then let go. Stood and ignored her. I went to the chest, and carefully opened it. I heard Nhaomei get to her feet behind me. Even though she was hot-headed, I knew she wouldn't hurt me. She sat next to me and watched as I packed the loot from the chest on the floor.<p>

Four potions, fifteen gold, a ruined book and an iron dagger.  
>Anonymus appeared at my side. He held his backpack to me.<br>"It's empty," he explained. "Pack the loot, and we'll share when we got out of here."  
>Nhaomei stared at him, raising a brow as she spoke, "You want to take that book too? It's nothing worth!"<br>"It is," Anonymus said, annoyed.  
>"Yeah, two coins worth! And anyway, how many merchants do you know who buy scraps like that?"<br>"Oh, stop it! We'll take it. Two coins are still better than nothing!" I said. Nhaomei rolled her eyes.  
>"Whatever."<p>

After that, I looked at the female vampire's corpse. Anonymus helped me to harvest some vampire dust. We found a scroll, four gold and another dagger by her. Stuffing them into the backpack, we went upstairs to loot the other vampire. Nhaomei was alread there. When she saw us she pointed at the door.  
>"It's locked."<br>"Did the male have the key?" Anonymus asked.  
>"Nope. But he had a bunch of gold! Fifty-two." She threw a purse at him and my friend stuffed it in his backpack too.<br>"That's wonderful, but we won't make use of it if we don't get out of here!" I said. With two jumps I was standing in front of the chest again. I looked inside, lighting a magelight in my hand so I could see better. Empty.  
>I checked the wardrobe. A miner's clothes, a troll skull, and simple clothes. I grabbed the simple clothing and investigated its pockets. Ha! Found it! A bronze key.<p>

With quick steps I went back to the door. Placed the key into the keyhole and turned it.

Suddenly a mace appeared, flying straight at me.  
>Time seemed to slow down as it happened. My reflexes told me to defend myself, but all I could do was raise my arms in front of my chest and head.<br>I heard myself scream as pain shot through my whole body. My arm was broken, I knew it. I had heard the bone _**snap**. _As the enemy wanted to attack again, Nhaomei and Anonymus grabbed me under my pits and pulled me back. I didn't realise what was going on in front of me.

The pain was unbearable. My left hand clutched my lower arm. Blood was pouring out of it. A _lot_ of blood.  
>I didn't know what to do. I heard screeches and howls and the sound of metal striking flesh.<br>I could smell the foul scent of rotten meat and congealed blood.  
>I knew the others were in trouble, but I couldn't stand up, because my legs felt like jelly. I couldn't feel anything else than the pain in my arm. The <em>unbearable<em> pain in my good arm.

When I heard a loud hiss, then a growl, I thought, It's over. We're all dead.  
>But then everything went silent. Nobody came to kill me. I could only hear my own shaky breaths. And I saw a pool of blood below myself.<p>

The last thing I saw as Anonymus, who was blood-covered. Staring right at my bleeding arm. His fangs hanging out of his mouth. Him jumping to me and grabbing my wounded limb.

**Then everything went dark.**


	3. Chapter 3

**The cure for vampirism**

**Chapter 3**

Coldness.

That was the first thing I felt. The second thing I felt, was...

...pain.

I awoke when someone touched my arm. More pain shot through my body and I moaned. Slowly opening my eyes, I saw Anonymus sitting next to me. He sighed in relief.  
>"Thank the Divines! You're alive," he said.<br>_Alive?_ I wondered. Then my memories started flooding back: the mace, the howls, the scents, Anonymus' fangs...  
>I sat up rapidly. There was nothing underneath me, only the cold earth. I was sitting where I had fallen unconscious.<br>"Where's Nhaomei?"  
>"Here!" came the answer.<br>I tried to turn to its direction, but when I wanted to use my arm I winced from the pain. Anonymus' head shot up in alarm.  
>"Don't try to use your wounded arm until it healed!" he insisted.<br>Nhaomei let herself fall down next to me.  
>"I've looked at all corpses, chests and urns. There was nothing except gold in there! Hundred-nineteen," she said, and threw Anonymus' backpack on the floor. It made a <em>klirr<em> sound as it landed.

Anonymus rolled his eyes, then handed a potion over.  
>"Here. It'll heal you."<br>I gazed at him thankfully, drank the whole bottle and felt the pain vanish. I have no idea how, but in seconds my arm was fixed completely. The pain became a bad memory. Testing if it really worked, I set some weight on it. Nothing.  
>"What happened?" I asked them.<br>"Well, after you started to bleed and then passed out," Nhaomei said, clearly pleased to be the one who spoke, "we fought some draugr. Four were in there."  
>"Draugr don't hiss or growl," I said.<br>Anonymus nodded, "That was me, and your sister was in her werewolf form."  
>"But thanks to that we've won! It could've turned out worse than that," Nhaomei quickly added.<br>I nodded. "I'm not going to be mad at you, it's okay. You guys saved my life!"  
>"Oh, don't you dare say any flowery thing about how much you love us, or something like that! Let's get moving," my sister said, " And by the way, I smell skeevers."<p>

My vampire friend took hold of the backpack, while I stood. Reaching for Curvy, I silently followed my sister. On the floor lay four corpses, all belonged to draugr.  
>The next room was bigger, but I felt like I was captured in a small box. The next pass was on the right side. The walls here were also full with ancient carvings.<p>

Nhaomei led us right, then she turned left. Her eyes widened sightly, and I knew she saw the skeevers she had smelled earlier. With a swing of her weapon she killed one, but a second and a third beast appeared. One bit her leg and my sister hissed in pain, the other leaped at me.  
>Before the skeever could get me, I smacked him with Curvy.<p>

I heard Nhaomei say, "Fuckin' pest!" before she got rid of the last skeever. She cursed again and investigated her scar.  
>"Not deep. Just a scratch. But it itches so badly!" she reported.<br>I stepped next to her and looked forwards. To get to the next room, we had to cross a little pool.

The next destination was just an arm-length wider than the last one. In the middle there was a waist-high column, three handles on its surface. They probably opened the three gates. There was one on the left side, one on the right side and one straight ahead. My eyes scanned the place, searching for another exit. Then I noticed a fourth gate.

Anonymus raised a brow.  
>"Do you think there's treasure in there?"<br>Nhaomei eagerly stepped to the handles and pulled one. The gate on the left flew open. A wooden chest was in the very end of the tiny room.  
>"I'll watch out for traps this time," she told me. "You two should investigate what the other two handles do. And be careful, sis!" she giggled.<br>I sighed and pulled another handle. The gate straight ahead opened.

A _huge _chest was in there. I went towards it, my eyes searching for traps. To my surprise I couldn't find any, so I stopped. Nobody would be foolish enough to leave a chest like this guard-less here. I examined the floor and found what I was looking for.  
>A round and not-too-flat rock with strange markings was right in fron of me. As I looked up I noticed the sharp and deadly iron heads attached to a gate-like wall. I jumped over the rock which activated the trap and landed in front of the treasure. There was no string binded to the lock. But I had to pick it. It wasn't a big challenge.<p>

A shiver ran down my spine as I thought about the first time I had picked a lock.  
>I was thirteen at the time. My "foster-father", El Rablo, had taught me how to pick a lock. Well, actually, he had showed me the technique once, then he had told me I wouldn't get anything to eat until I unlocked his chest's lock.<br>I remeber how my hands had shaken at the time. I still don't understand how, but I had managed to complete the challenge on first try. Rablo had only nodded, as if he were expecting my rapid success.

I pushed the thoughts about that asshole away and focused on the lock.  
>Coins were thrown on the bottom of the chest and there was a book too. I collected the gold first, then took the book and examined it.<br>It was a document, not a book. Opening it, I peeked at the first page. It was blank.  
>Narrowing my eyes, I turned a page.<p>

_Tirdas, 12th of Sun's Height, 4E 170_  
><em>Today we gained two new associates: the twins, Mork and Jex. Finally their time has come, too! I hate to wait and I wonder why I had decided to...<em>

"Sis, have you found anything useful?"  
>I closed the document rapidly and hid it under my armor as quickly as I could. I turned to my sister, hoping she didn't notice what I had done. I showed her the coins.<br>Anonymus came from his room back and let us stuff the loot in his backpack. We decided not to share what we had found as it was a waste of time and we'll share the treasure at the end of our journey anyway.

I felt a little guilty as I thought about that. After all, I was the one who stole this document. But somehow I thought it was important that they didn't know about it.  
>As we stood by the entrance to the next room - the fourth gate - we noticed there was no other handle that would open it.<p>

Nhaomei was about to transform and "bend iron" when I stopped her.  
>"Hey!" she protested.<br>"I saw pull-chains in the room I had investigated."  
>I went back, skipped over the trap and looked at the three chains that hung above the now empty chest. My sister stayed by the fourth gate and Anonymus stood in the entrance of this room.<br>Without thinking I pulled the chain on the left. I heard a gate move.  
>"You locked yourself," Anonymus told me. I made a mouth and pulled the chain on the right.<br>"You opened it!" Nhaomei shouted.  
>I pulled the last chain and turned around to see the gate in front of my friend rise.<p>

As my stubborn sister wanted to go away, I said, "Wait."  
>"What is it now?"<br>"I want to check something," I told her.  
>Both of them frowned, but I didn't bother to explain. They didn't know about it and we didn't have time to discuss it.<br>I prepared myself for a shout. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the words of power. After a second Nhaomei got impatient.  
>"By the Nine, what do you-"<br>"_LAAS - YAH - NIR!_" I shouted.  
>For a moment I saw nothing, but then - as usual - my vision came back. I could see red lights - bodies - through the walls. Six were the closest to us, they were probably in the next room. Then there were other three enemies, and I could also see other four. Other four as I turned around. I looked downwards , saw nothing, gazed upwards and gasped. A <em>lot<em> of enemies were up there. I started to count them but then the red lights faded. I sighed. I knew I couldn't shout again for an hour.

"Wha... what was that?" Nhaomei asked, amazed.  
>"I don't have time to explain it now," I quickly said and walked past the gate.<br>A red flag was blown by the wind. Wait, wind? The gangway curved left and for a moment I was blinded by the sudden increase of light. The ceiling had a hole. Some roots hung inside the gangway. I wondered if I could climb out from this place through that hole. I lowered my gaze and searched for an obstacle that would jack me up.  
>And then I saw it. Or rather <em>felt<em> it. Like my energy, my living force would just... flow out of me. I stood there, frozen, staring in shock at the vampire who cast his spell on me. I was already sinking to my knees when my companions appeared. Anonymus jumped in front of me, breaking the effects of the spell. I heard a weird sound and I saw my sister transform into a werewolf. My eyes instantly widened by the sight of limbs stretching. Nhaomei howled and with two steps she was at the vampire, biting her neck. She then got out of my sight.

I jumped up and hurried with Anonymus after her. He summoned an atronach that appeared in front of us. As we wanted to Nhaomei, two draugr appeared and attacked. I ducked from the first attack, but the second got me. I hissed in pain as a sharp blade cut my arm. As my friend dealt with one of the draugr, I rolled backwards and unsheathed my sword. I used the floor as a springboard and rammed my blade into my enemy's chest. It didn't kill him though, the draugr only became pissed off. He growled and I dodged an attack. I couldn't see Nhaomei or Anonymus, ad I felt a little panic when a second draugr appeared behind the first one. The newcomer opened his mouth.  
>"<em>FUS - RO - DAH!<em>"  
>The force of his shout made me skid backwards on the floor until I hit the wall. For moments I was numb, but then I opened my eyes ans saw the draugr running towards me. My weapon was standing out of one draugr's chest. I had no other choice but to use magic. Even though I only knew restoration and illusion spells, it had always been enough to save my or someone else's life.<p>

With a quick move I cast the invisibility spell on myself, then rolled away. My enemies stopped dead in their tracks. Using my advantage, I got to my sword. I grabbed the hilt and slashed it upwards, killing the first draugr. My spell broke, but I already had the upper-hand. With rapid us I got rid of the other draugr too.  
>I ran to the next destination where I assumed to find Nhaomei and Anonymus. As I entered the room, I saw how my werewolf sister slashed her claws in the direction of two skeletons. Needless to say, they were dead in a heartbeat.<br>Anonymus was crouching on the floor and staring at Nhaomei. He bared his fangs and hissed, making me flinch. If they attacked each other now, I wouldn't be able to stop the tragedy.

But in the next moment Nhaomei's form shrinked and she was a human again. Anonymus calmed down and I sighed in relief.  
>We were in a cave-like room, and I noticed there were way more bones lying on the floor than that would be possible to belong to the skeletons.<br>I darted forwards, my companions following me. The next destination was similar to the one that three floors, the only difference was that this time the second floor wasn't connected to the first. As I looked at the second floor I noticed movements, and I signed the others to move close to the wall. The next room was on the other side.  
>Thankfully the one up there didn't notice us.<br>The floor was covered with gigantic roots.  
>Nhaomei whispered, "Vampire," and I drew my bow. This gangway had a doorway on the left side and I could peek inside. I saw some candles, a little blood, and a throne. A vampire was sitting on it with his eyes closed. I don't know how he didn't know we were here, vampires had a genial nose like werewolves, and they could smell other vampires from a big distance too. I got rid of the undead man with an arrow to his throat.<p>

The room was a torture chamber. The other side of it was covered with a big pool of blood.  
>We hurried to the next gangway. On the left there was an empty urn, on the right there was a blue sword tilted against the wall. Nhaomei grabbed it and we were about to go when Anonymus said, "Wait."<br>He was looking at the wall and examined something I couldn't see because of a column. He reached for the thing and pulled it. _Crack._ The wall started to move downwards, revealing a gangway. My sister frowned, sniffing the air.  
>"Nothing in there. Maybe it's an exit?"<br>We went through the way, which led us to a place that had barely anything else in itself than stairs and candles. A column split my view and I skipped with my sister up the stairs.  
>My excitement faded as I saw this was a dead end. The ceiling had collapsed. Nhaomei cursed angrily. We both turned when we heard the same <em>crack<em> again. Anonymus came to us.  
>"I closed it," he reported, "We deserve a break."<br>He sat down on a wide step and signed us to do the same. I let myself fall down next to him, but Nhaomei stood.  
>"I'm <em>not <em>going to sleep next to a vampire!" she said.  
>"C'mon now! You don't have to be afraid-" Anonymus started, but was cut off by her,<br>"I'm not afraid of you, you idiot! I want to have the same amount of blood in the morning as now!"  
>"I fed last night, so you don't have to worry about that," he replied.<br>My sister gave him her _Dude, seriously?_ look, she even raised a brow. But then she shrugged and sat in front of him.  
>"Whatever. Anyway, why did you come here?" she asked.<br>I looked at my friend, who reached for something in his pocket and gave it to Nhaomei. It was a paper. Her eyes went from left to right a few times, then she made a mouth. "That's all? I thought it was more than that," she said, disappointed. She handed the paper to me.  
>"Yes, that's it," Anonymus said.<p>

_**Bounty**  
><em>_By order of Siddgeir:  
><em>_To all able bodied men and women of Falkreath. The foes located in North Shriekwind Bastion have  
>been harassing, robbing, and attacking citizens and visitors.<em>

_A reward will be offered to anyone who kills their leader._

We sat in silence for a while, then Anonymus spoke, "How old are you, Nhaomei?"  
>My sister rolled her eyes, looking annoyed. "Nineteen. She's six year older," she pointed at me, "Why?".<br>"Nothing, I just wondered... about your childhood." he looked at me before continuing, "You've never told me about that."  
>I swear, I could hear the <em>snap<em> inside Nhaomei's head before she lost it. She clenched her fists and bit her lip so hard it started to bleed.  
>"Fuck off," she said with a dangerously calm tone.<br>She glared at him for moments, then stood and left us there. She went to the column and sat down so we couldn't see her.

"I'm sorry..." Anonymus stated, trying to apologize.  
>"It's okay," I told him. Nhaomei wasn't listening anyway. "It's a theme she doesn't like to talk about. Because of our... family they were murdered."<br>He frowned slightly. "Can I... ask how it happened?" he whispered.  
>I breathed in deeply, then started it.<br>"I was ten, she was four, and our brother, Tom was seven. Our family had a demense in Rorikstead. We were quite... rich. One night bandits came and they broke into our house. They killed our parents in their sleep, carried everything that had value away, and found us hiding in the cellar. They binded our hands, feet and our eyes and took us with them too. They came on horseback you know. Before they left, they had set the house and the crops on fire. On the way, Tom... he started to yell. And wouldn't stop. So a few bandits stopped and they... killed him. I..." I took another deep breath and continued, "They took us to their hideout. I don't know what they wanted to do with us, and I'm glad we didn't figure it out."  
>"You escaped?"<br>"Yes, with a help of a girl who was a few years older than me. She was responsible for us, but she freed us and told me to get a horse. I had pushed Nhaomei on one, then climbed behind her and we raced until we reached Markarth," I said, and now I looked at Anonymus, curious to see his face. He had tilted his head to the side and was now staring at the air. When he noticed I was watching him, he blinked a few times and looked back. His expression was a little blank.  
>"After we had arrived, the orphanage there became our new home," I continued.<br>"But how were you seperated from each other?" Anonymus asked.  
>"I was adopted and she wasn't," I lied. "And you know the rest."<br>"That psychopath used you to get rich. And when you moved to Whiterun and met me, you asked me to help to kill him. And two years later you got Nhaomei back," he said.

Well, that was not _fully_ the truth.  
>Two years after we had arrived in Markarth, and had gotten a new home, the owner of the orphanage died. I don't know what happened to the other orphans, but I and Nhaomei were adopted by a noblemen named Bemak. As it later turned out, his only daughter has been kidnapped, and the kidnapper was willing to give her back in exchange for someone else. That's how I got to El Rablo.<br>In the beginning, he was quite... nice. He didn't let me meet other people, though, for the first year. During that time he told me about vampires. Yes, he told me how they looked like, what they were, and what they did. He convinced me that they were cruel creatures that deserved no mercy. That was the reason I had agreed to help him assassinate the ones who had successfully hidden their true identity. So he taught me sneaking, lockpicking, pickpocketing, and using small, but deadly blades.  
>And if I have to be honest, I <em>did<em> enjoy what I had done. Until I met Anonymus.  
>Rablo never told me what was the reason why we had to move to Whiterun, and it didn't matter how many times I annoyed or threatened him, he wouldn's say a word. So I was quite mad at him. The first night I even sneaked out of the house to go to the Stables. That was the time when I met Anonymus.<br>I could tell he was a vampire, but I didn't care about that and had approached him. I can't remember what we had talked about, but I had enjoyed his company. So much I sneaked out next night too just to meet him. That went on for a week. Then Rablo found out. He was outraged, of course. And I was, too.  
>The next time I met Anonymus I asked him to help me kill him. And in the end, we didn't even get caught by the guards.<br>Since that I wasn't a vampire hunter anymore.

"Let's get some sleep," Anonymus said, taking me back to reality. I agreed with him.

Today was a long day.


End file.
